Doctoral Dissertations

Susan Church

Date of Award

8-1999

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Psychology

Major Professor

Howard Pollio

Committee Members

Lenard Handler, Lance Laurence, Sandra Thomas

Abstract

The meaning of having lived a century was explored from a phenomenological perspective. Rorschachs and in-depth interviews were gathered from 11 centenarians who were asked to reflect on some times when it occurred to them that they had lived a very long time, and to describe those experiences in as much detail as possible. A thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews produced four interrelated themes: Being Special; Being Active, Doing and Working; Accepting Things and Being Satisfied; and Caring and Being Cared for. These themes were related to recurring Rorschach imagery of death and transformation. The study underscores the importance centenarians place on active engagement with the world, caring for other people, and accepting what life offers. Centenarians' ability to do these things throughout their lives makes them extraordinary.

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